Star Wars Movie Headcannon

My brother, I and our mates sometime watch all films in one series (or at least all that someone in the know among us consider worth watching) in one marathon run lasting one or two days. Obviously refreshing pauses with some outdoors jog and food preparation are key to stay keen and not doze off too early with all that sitting (standing & watching also helps), and better respect the need for nightly sleep. In anticipation of Episode VII, we watched all Star Wars movies from I-VI.

Listening to this video while painting reinforced my own impression of something of interest for future friendly marathon watches: The new Star Wars trilogy, for all its good moments (and there are many to point to, incl. in Episode VIII), doesn't fit into the overall story arc. While moments like Luke sacrificing himself by hallucination exhaustion were inventive and ideas with merits, the overall impression is just off, even if the aesthetics are right.

The prequels, for all their flaws, clicks into place with the original trilogy: It's about the tragedy of Anakin, and the fall of the Republic and rise of the Empire. George Lucas himself always saw Star Wars as a family drama, and obviously it's constructed this way, but I've since my early childhood first watch of Star Wars had eyes primarily for the big stuff: The rise and fall of empires, the strategy and the upheavals, and obviously all the nice designs for both Rebel and Imperial tech and uniforms. Lucas had a coherent idea of the overall story arc for the nine trilogies when it concerns the Skywalker family. Perhaps that family stuff works as it stands in the current unfolding trilogy, or perhaps it doesn't, but what I cannot help but notice is that the big background story breaks apart at Episode VII.

One would expect something like this to be present at the start of the new trilogy, and the versions are not mutually exclusive: Imperial infighting and warlords. Ascendant Republic pressing a shrinking Empire hard. A situation that opens with the Empire as underdog, just like in the Thrawn trilogy: It's something that clicks into place with what went before, where we saw the Rebel Alliance's great victory at Endor. Such a triumph should have visible results. Show, don't tell.

Then the trilogy could unfold with a shining new leader scooping up the Imperial remnants and clawing them back into a position of threat and power, a true menace reborn before our eyes on screen, an Imperial phoenix. And the narrative could unfold around this twist, with the heroes gunning for a resurgent Empire to go down and all manner of Skywalker family drama going on.

What should not be in such a new setting is a massive superweapon right off the bat: If that is to happen (and there are good reasons to avoid it because of oversaturation - the prequels stayed clear of it, to their merit), then it must be built up/revealed as the new trilogy unfolds, and not exist smack bang right at the first movie. A beset Empire cannot have the massive resources Palpatine once had to build a Deathstar.

While Star Wars movies are rather fun shallow flicks one watch for aesthetics, music and blaster/lightsaber action primarily, its backdrop ought to make sense since there is a story in them. The prequels and original trilogy line up, the new trilogy doesn't line up. It starts off with a reboot of Episode IV. And this brings some new respect for Lucas' sight on telling an overarching story, since Disney's take doesn't click fundamentally.

Which leads back to the start point: Movie marathons should positively tell a coherent overall story, but the new trilogy, for all its good moments, veer off the path. I suspect future Star Wars marathons for us will involve the prequels, the new Stories spin-offs in-between, and the original trilogy, ending the race at Episode VI on a high note. Not because the new trilogy is horrible (it isn't), but because it doesn't line up.

This might seem as a rant, but as a storywriter one is constantly reflecting about stuff like this to learn good takes, and what doesn't work. This is just sharing of some quick thoughts.

What do you think? What Star Wars movies will you include if you watch them in a marathon sitting?

I wouldn't.
Marathon sittings are not something I like to do because for me it takes away the fun watching the movies.

As for your earlier points.... I disagree. Both VII and VIII for me felt right there. Drspite their flaws they captured the essence of what Star Wars is for me. If any of the movies doesn't fit it is Rogue One. Not a bad movie but it doesn't feel Star Wars for me in a lot of ways.
But on the other hand that's where I think Star Wars should be going.
I think that to stay alive the Star Wars franchise has to move away from that family stuff. And I really like how they finally do that. Rey's parents not being somebody related to Skywalkers, Solos, Kenobis or anybody else famous was an absolute highlight for me in VIII.

Solo had the mafia/gangster movie thing going a bit, with the Star Wars universe as the backdrop. I liked that.
Rogue One was a war movie in the Star Wars universe.
I want more of that. A western style movie in Star Wars universe, a road movie in the Star Wars universe, a horror movie in the Star Wars universe, a wall street political/economical drama set on Nar Shaddaa or so, with mafia and corruption and all that stuff.

In fact I think that the worst parts of VII were those that were too close to what Star Wars movies were like in the OT and the prequels. I want something new, not a rehash. And that was far better in VIII already.

There are so many other stories to tell than some family drama. They should do that.

EDIT: I realize I sound contradictory, and yeah, to a certain degree I am torn. I want Star Wars to be more diverse although I like how it was, and I fully realize that at the same time that means that I will probably not like some of the future movies. But that's where they have to go.

I fully agree that they should branch out and explore other areas of the Star Wars universe. Small stories are often more interesting than attempts at large epics. Had a blast watching Solo, and Rogue One was quiet good as well (held my fingers for stuff like this for years, and now it's coming true). The new trilogy feels like Star Wars alright, and I also agree that the best parts were generally those which didn't hug the originals too closely. It's just that as the new episode trilogy flagship installment in the series, it will tend to be judged differently from stand-alone movies. It stands quite well on its own legs, sure, but it also stands awkwardly next to the other trilogies, and it shows during marathons.

These spin-offs are gold so far, and who would've thought they could be done to this quality level? A pleasant surprise. For my part Disney is welcome to continue endlessly with spin-off standalone stories, as long as the quality is upheld, and leave the family drama cycle be. Cheers